Airbus unveils A350 XWB development cabin interior installed on flight-test aircraft ‘MSN002'

Airbus unveiled (07-Apr-2014) the A350 XWB's development cabin interior installed on board flight-test aircraft 'MSN002' at the Airbus site in Hamburg. MSN002, which made its first flight on 26-Feb-2014, is the first of two test aircraft fitted with a passenger interior and is part of the growing A350 XWB development fleet. Intensive cabin flight and ground tests have already been performed during a two-week stay of the aircraft in Hamburg in mid-Mar-2014. The cabins of all Airbus aircraft are developed by the engineering and research teams based there. The new interior highlights the aircraft's "eXtra-wide" fuselage and 18" seat in 9-abreast economy. A350 XWB MSN002 will be tasked with conducting a series of "Early Long Flights" with its cabin accommodating real passengers. 'Hot and cold' cabin trials will also feature in its test programme, which also includes validation of the advanced fourth-generation in-flight-entertainment (IFE). MSN002 will soon be joined by the second cabin-equipped A350 MSN005, which will be tasked with route-proving flights around the world to the major destinations it will serve. Together with the unveiling of the first A350 XWB test cabin, Airbus also inaugurated its dedicated A350 XWB Customer Definition Centre (CDC) where airline customers and operators will follow an cabin design and definition process allowing shorter lead times. The CDC, which features individually tailored zones, enables the customers to see, feel and test the real catalogue solutions presented in a showroom environment, and in close cooperation with the risk-sharing partners. The centre also incorporates the electronic "A350 XWB Configurator" - a virtual environment and modelling tool for accelerated cabin specification and visualisation. [more - original PR] [more - original PR - II]